The present invention relates generally to occupant restraint belts used in motor vehicles, and more specifically to a presenter for making a restraint belt easier for a person to see and grasp in order to fasten the belt.
Occupant restraint belts (also known as seat belts) are fitted to most types of passenger vehicles in order to protect vehicle occupants from injury during a crash or other abrupt deceleration of the vehicle. One limitation to the effectiveness of modern seat belts is that they require a voluntary and optional act by the occupant to fasten the belt properly around their body. Some persons do not use their vehicle""s seat belts because they find it difficult or inconvenient to don the seat belt.
This difficulty in donning the belt is sometimes due to the fact that when the belt is in the unfastened condition, it must assume a stowed position in which it does not obstruct the occupant while entering or exiting the vehicle. Consequently, the seat belt is typically configured so that it is pulled to the rear by a retractor mechanism. With the belt in this stowed position, the buckles (or other portions of the belt) that the occupant must grasp in order to don the belt may be difficult to see and/or reach when in the seated position.
Systems have been proposed for moving a seat belt or buckle element upward and/or forwardly to a more easily grasped position after the occupant is seated in the seat. Examples of such systems are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,431,446 and 5,1 23,673.
The present invention provides a belt presenter for use with an occupant restraint belt associated with a seat of a motor vehicle. The belt presenter comprises an inflatable member disposed adjacent the seat and having a stored condition wherein the member is deflated and allows the restraint belt to assume a stowed position, and a deployed condition wherein the member is inflated and urges the belt to a graspable position in which the occupant can more easily grasp the belt prior to fastening it. The member is inflated by a source of gas pressure carried on board the vehicle, such as a compressor, a pressure vessel, or a pressure bladder after an occupant has been seated in the seat and is ready to don the restraint belt.
Inflation of the member preferably occurs upon activation by an electronic control system that receives inputs from one or more vehicle systems, such as a seat weight sensor, a door open/closed sensor, and/or an ignition switch. In another embodiment, the member is inflated by compression of a pressure bladder contained in the seat cushion when an occupant sits in the seat.
The inflated member is flexible and compliant enough that it will not cause any discomfort to the seat occupant if it should contact the occupant""s body.
The invention belt presenter is usable with a belt extending from a lower anchor or from an upper anchor.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inflatable member comprises a flexible tube attached to the motor vehicle adjacent the seat and having a free end with a connector slidably engaging the belt. The tube in the stored condition has a generally flat cross-section and is rolled into a spiral. In the deployed condition, inflation of the tube causes the tube to thicken in cross-section and to at least partially unroll such that the free end extends upwardly, forwardly, and inwardly. The belt slides through the connector as the tube urges the belt to the graspable position. A clock spring is provided to aid the tube in returning to its stored condition.
The present invention further includes a method of moving an occupant restraint belt associated with a seat of a motor vehicle from a stowed position to a graspable position. The method comprises the steps of: providing an inflatable member disposed adjacent the seat and having a stored condition wherein the member is deflated and allows the restraint belt to assume the stowed position; connecting a source of gas pressure to the member, the source of gas pressure operable to selectively inflate and deflate the member; and causing the source of gas pressure to inflate the member thereby moving the member to a deployed condition wherein the member urges the belt to the graspable position.